Committee on Education and Workforce

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) submitted the following remarks in support of H.R. 7780, the Mental Health Matters Act, into the Congressional Record. “I rise today in strong support of the Mental Health Matters Act, led by the gentleman from California, Mr. DeSaulnier. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the mental health crisis among students, workers, and families. In 2021, over 44 percent of students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness; almost 20 percent seriously considered suicide; and 9 percent actually attempted suicide.

WASHINGTON – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement ahead of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. In 1985, then-Virginia Senator Robert C. “Bobby” Scott chaired the Joint Subcommittee on Hunger and Malnutrition in the Commonwealth and commissioned a report on hunger in Virginia. “I applaud President Biden for organizing the first White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in more than a half a century.  We know that, even before the pandemic, far too many Americans struggled to put healthy food on the table

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule to rescind the Trump-era Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program. "I applaud the Department of Labor for ending the previous Administration’s Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program (IRAP), a wasteful scheme to divert funding away from the proven Registered Apprenticeship system. IRAPs discarded key features responsible for the success of our Registered Apprenticeship system, including quality standards and worker protections.

WASHINGTON, DC – Education and Labor Committee Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following remarks during today’s floor debate on the Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act. “I’m pleased to rise in support of the bipartisan, bicameral Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act, led in the Senate by my colleague from Virginia, Senator Mark Warner, and led in the House by the gentleman from North Carolina, Congressman David Price.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee Chair Frederica Wilson (FL-24) introduced the Lowering Obstacles to Achievement Now (LOAN) Act, to lower the cost of college for current and future student borrowers and their families. The new legislation builds on President Biden’s historic one-time student loan debt relief announcement last month to forgive up to $20,000 in outstanding federal student loan debt for millions of borrowers. 

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after a District Court judge ruled to invalidate several provisions of the Affordable Care Act that govern which forms of preventive care—such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV, cancer screenings, and other lifesaving health services—must be covered by health insurers. “For more than a decade, the Affordable Care Act has provided millions of Americans with access to preventive care, such as cancer screenings, vaccinations, contraception, and chronic disease screenings, without having to pay anything out of pocket.

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 315,000 jobs in August and the unemployment rate rose to 3.7 percent. Today’s jobs report shows that the economy is continuing to exceed pre-pandemic job levels and returning to a steady and stable position. Just over 9.7 million jobs have been created since January 2021, exceeding the pre-pandemic highwater mark by 240,000 jobs. Thanks to President Biden’s leadership and Congressional Democrats’ swift action, our nation’s workforce has not only recovered, but come back even stronger. This is a direct result of the American Rescue Plan Act, which got people back to work safely; the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is creating millions of good-paying jobs; and the Inflation Reduction Act, which is lowering the cost of everyday goods.

WASHINGTON, DC – Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after President Biden announced that the Department of Education is extending the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections through 2022, providing up to $20,000 in debt cancellation to Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 in debt cancellation to non-Pell Grant recipients, and capping the amount borrowers would pay monthly for undergraduate loans at 5 percent of their income. “President Biden is providing unprecedented relief for America’s student loan borrowers. Today’s announcement delivers on President Biden’s promise to cancel up to $20,000 of borrowers’ federal student debt. Also, extending the pause on student loan repayment will further help get borrowers back on track.